Lechler was punched in the face by teammate Terdell Sands during an argument on the team flight home from Denver on Nov. 23, according to five sources - two former assistant coaches, a front-office member, a team administrator and an AFC head coach from outside the organization.

Sands was neither suspended nor fined by the team, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. Consider this all the more reason for Lechler to leave Oakland if he becomes an unrestricted free agent, two of those sources said on the condition of anonymity.

As it was, Lechler has complained openly about the climate of the past six losing seasons and declined to say he wanted to come back. Taking a haymaker from a 350-pound defensive tackle certainly did not help.